Search form

On Thursday 19th March Jon Cruddas MP and the people of Dagenham, alongside the women from the 1968 strikes at Dagenham Ford will be making a final stand in the fight to Save the Dagenham Civic Centre. Candles will be provided and the vigil will start on the steps of the Civic Centre at 6.30pm.

Jon Cruddas is calling on the whole community to come together in solidarity in a bid to not only protect the 550 jobs at stake, but also to ensure that the most iconic part of the community’s heritage isn’t callously sold off.

Jon Cruddas was recently contacted by a member of the public that has been following the Save Our Civic Centre campaign on Twitter over the last month. The resident brought to light an amazing video via British Pathe from 1935, the video was made during the construction of the Dagenham Civic Centre and documents when Lord Snell MP – the Labour Leader of the House of Lords came to Dagenham to lay the Foundation Stone.

Last year Transport for London released plans to build a new toll bridge linking Rainham to Belvedere. The proposal, if implemented would be due for completion by 2025 and the implications are that both construction and completion would have a large impact on the local area. During the initial consultation over 7000 people responded, highlighting they would like to see a new crossing at either Gallions Reach or in Rainham. Only 400 residents of Havering had their say.

The way you register to vote has changed. Over the past few months the Electoral Commission have switched to an Individual Electoral Registration system (IER) which means that people are no longer registered by household. This means that as an individual you will have to register to vote.

How do I know if I am registered or not?

If you are not on the system you will have received a letter from your local authority informing you that you need to re-register.

It has recently been reported in the media that Dagenham, RM8, is the worst place for burglaries in London. Barking and Dagenham Police work very closely with the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham to tackle this key partnership priority, reducing burglaries and targeting offenders.

Over the past 12 months (1, January - 31 December, 2014) Dagenham has seen a 27% reduction in burglaries, down from 898 to 628 offences and is in line with a reduction in burglary across London.

It was confirmed in December that the Civic Centre is to be converted into a school as a savings measure. Jon Cruddas MP for Dagenham & Rainham has launched a large scale community campaign to fight the plans.

This has been a turbulent year for residents of Dagenham & Rainham, with cuts amounting to £54 million being imposed locally by the Tory-led coalition government. There have been some real trials but we have also seen many triumphs.

In May the local elections saw Labour councillors win all 51 seats in Barking & Dagenham. This clean sweep owed much to the local community, and the campaign was a testament to people power – something I hope will be emulated in next year’s General Election.

Jon Cruddas MP has urged MPs from all parties to back Labour’s attempt to scrap the Bedroom Tax by Christmas. Labour has forced a debate and vote in parliament taking place today (Wednesday 17th December) on the Bedroom Tax.

Jon Cruddas MP is in full support of the vote and will be present at the House today to cast his vote.

Jon Cruddas has thrown his support behind a campaign by local mother Fay Hough to raise awareness of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) – a condition that affects social interaction, communication, interests and behaviour.

Fay, whose family has been affect by the disorder, has launched a campaign aiming to spread awareness of autism among the general public. Although 1 in 100 people in the UK today live with the disorder, there is still a way to go in terms of increasing the public’s understanding of the issue and in challenging many of the misconceptions surrounding it.